1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cable connectors for electrically connecting circuit boards, and more particularly a cable connector for electrically connecting circuit boards arranged at an identical level, i.e., co-extensive.
Recently, it has been required that parts such as circuit boards are provided with a high density due to the demand for down-sizing of electronic devices such as computers. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an improved highly efficient transfer structure that transfers signals between circuit boards. Such a signal transfer structure is a cable connector for connecting circuit boards together. Particularly, it is required that a cable connector connecting circuit boards arranged on a co-extensive level with each other occupies a small mounting area and has a short length.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to facilitate an understanding of the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional cable connector for electrically connecting circuit boards together. A first plug 2 is provided to a first circuit board 1. The first plug 2 has pins 8 that stand substantially upright on the first circuit board 1. A second plug 4 is provided to a second circuit board 3. The second plug 4 has pins 9 that stand substantially upright on the second circuit board 3. A first jack 5 has contacts 5', which engage the pins 8 of the first plug 2. A second jack 6 has contacts 6', which engage pins 9 of the second plug 4. A cable 7 connects the contacts 5' of the first jack 5 and the contacts 6' of the second jack 6 together. When the first jack 5 vertically engages the first plug 2, the contacts 5' contact and engage with the pins 8. Similarly, when the second jack 6 vertically engages the second plug 4, the contacts 6' contact and engage with the pins 9.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional cable connector for electrically connecting circuit boards together. A first plug 12 is connected to a first circuit board 11 so that pins 18 thereof extend parallel to the circuit board 11. A second plug 14 is provided to a second circuit board 13 so that pins 19 thereof extend parallel to the circuit board 13. A first jack 15 has contacts 15', which engages the pins 18 of the first plug 12. The second jack 16 has contacts 16', which engage pins 19 of the second plug 14. A cable 17 connects the contacts 15' of the first jack 5 and the contacts 16' of the second jack 16 together. When the first jack 15 horizontally engages the first plug 12, the contacts 15' contact and engage with the pins 18. When the second jack 16 horizontally engages the second plug 14, the contacts 16' contact and engage with the pins 9.
However, the conventional cable connector shown in FIG. 1 has a disadvantage in that there is a section of the cable 7 which is bent upwards thereby increasing the length of the cable. This causes a time delay in transferring signals between the circuit boards 1 and 3.
The conventional cable connector shown in FIG. 2 has a disadvantage in that it requires a side space between the circuit boards 11 and 13 due to the presence of the first jack 15 and the second jack 16. Accordingly, the type of connector requires a large mounting space.